Safety device for flying machines



Jan. 12 1926.

R. PEARL ET AL SAFETY DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES Filed Oct. 5, 1925 {SSheets-Sheet 1 %0 =14QL WW Jan. 12 1926.

R. PEARL AL SAFETY DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES Filed Oct. 5, 1925 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 12 1926.

R. PEARL ET AL SAFETY DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES s Sheets-Sheet; 5

Filed Oct. 5, 1925 Patented Jan. 12, 1926 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

RUBIN PEARL AND JOSEPH SUSSNA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY-DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

Application filed October To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that we, RUBIN PEARL and -JOSEPH SUSSNA, citizens of theUnited lowing is a specification.

Thepurpose of our invention is to provide means whereby a disabledflying machine can be prevented from falling too rapidly.

Our invention comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a gasbag, a parachute, and means of inflating said gas bag at the propertime, as in an emergency.

It also comprehends an automatic controller to operate our machine atthe proper time should the pilot be injured, or for any other reasonfail to operate the manual control provided.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafterappear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention we have shown in theaccompanying drawings a typical embodiment thereof,

which we at present prefer, since this embodiment will be found inpractice to give satisfactory and reliable results. It is, however, tobe understood that the various inst-rumentalities of which our inventionconsists canbe variously arranged and organized, and that our inventionis not limited 1 to the precise arrangement and organization of theseinstrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an aeroplane provided withour'invention, shown as in use.

Figure 2flrepresents a perspective view of an aeroplane provided withtwo units of our invention, shown as when not in use..

Figure 3 represents our invention as fit- .ted to a biplane. In thisdrawing we have shown some parts in section, some parts L broken away,and someparts removed,that

- moved.

we may more clearly illustrate certain features of the construction.

Figure 4 represents a section on the line 4-4, Figure 3, and illustratesthe mechanism as in use. The gas bag has been re- Figure 5.1;epresents asection on the line 4-4, Figure 3, and illustrates the mecha- 5, 1925.Serial No. 60,657.

,,.nis1n as when not in use. The gas bag has been removed.

trol in its inoperative position.

Figure 7 represents the automatic control in operation.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings.

1 designates our novel construction and machines.

2 designates a gas bag having fastened thereto a parachute 3. Gascontainers 4 and 5 are connected to the said gas bag 2 by pipe lines 6and 7 and the valve chest 8.

The valve chest 8 is preferably'formed integral with the base 9, whichlatter is fastened to any desired part of the flying machine in anydesired manner,

We provide ropes 10 for the purpose of reducing the strain on the gasbag 2 and the parachute 3. Said ropes 10 are fastened to the flangedportion 12 of the valve chest 8. The valve chest 8, see Figs. 4 and 5,is divided into an upper and a lower portion by the valve 13. The lowerportion of the said valve chest 8 is connected to the gas containers 4and ,5 by pipe lines 6 and 7, and to discharge end of pump 14 by pipeline 15,

see Fig. 3. The upper portion of said valve chest 8 has connectedthereto the neck 11 of the said gas bag 2, and has formed therein anumber of small apertures 16, see Figs. 4 and 5. These aperturesrestrain the gas from rushing into the gas baglvtoo violently,

sition, as shown at 1, Figure 2, the gas bag Figure. 6 represents theautomatic con-- arrangement of a safety device forflying is deflated andfolded into the space 18,

formed by the gas containers 4 and 5, the base 9, and the two covers-19and20, which latter-are pivotally fastened to the said base 9, see Figs.4 and 5.

The parachute 3 and the ropes 10 are also contained in the said space18, and therefore the machine is compact and of the appropriate shape tooffer the minimum resistance to the normal operation of. the flyingmachine, see Fig. 2.

The said valve 13, see Figs. 4 and 5, is normally closed by a spring 21,and is provided with. a valve stem 22, which latter passes throughastufling box in the lower portion of the valve chest 8 and is providedwith the collar 23 and an apertured portion 24 at its lower end.

The said covers, 19 and 20, are provided with projecting arms, 25 and26, which latter have pivoted thereto toggle links, 27 and 28. The saidtoggle links are pivoted to each other and can be caused to assume theposition illustrated in Figure 4. by a downward motion of the collar 23.which latter is fast on the valve stem Resilient strips, 29 and 30, seeFigs. 4 and 5, are fastened to the said covers, 19 and 20, and protectthe gas bag from injury during inflation.

A rope 31, see Figs. 3 and 6, is fastened to the lower portion of thesaid valvestem 22 and to an apertured portion of the hand controlledlever 32. Another rope 33, see Figs. 3, 6 and 7, connects the automaticcon troller with the said valve stem 22. i

The automatic controller is fastened in an upright position to thefuselage, or any other suitable portion of the flying machine, andconsists of a tank 34, see Figs. 3, 6 and 7, containing a spring 35,which latter presses a float 36 into a fluid 37. A cover 38 guides thefloat rod 39 and supports pivotally the hand lever 40, which latter hasa lockin portion 41 that can be thrust into an apertured portion 42 ofthe float rod 39 and thus restrain the automatic controller fromoperating should the pilot so desire, see Fig. 6.

The tank 34, see Fig. 6, has formed integral therewith lugs 43, whichhave pivotally fastened thereto the aforementioned hand control lever32.

The operationis as follows During the normal operation of the flyingmachine our device is as illustrated in Figures 2, 5 and 7. The gas bag2, the parachute 3, and the ropes 10 are folded into the space 18. Thevalve 13 is closed, and the toggle links, 27 and 28, are in the positionillustrated in Figure 5.

A suflicient quantity of a suitable gas, such as helium, to fill the gasbag 2, is compressed into the containeis 4 and 5.

When the operator so requires, as in an emergency, he can cause ourmachine to 0p erate by pulling lever 32 downward, pulling on rope 31 andvalve stem 22. thus opening valve 13 and permitting gas to inflate thegasbag 2. The covers have been opened by the collar 23, pressing thetoggle links 27 and 28 downward to the position illustrated in Figure 4.The machine will now appear as illustrated in Figure 1.

The resistance offered to the air by the parachute 3, and the naturalbuoyancy of the gas bag 2 will right the aeroplane and prevent too rapida descent.

We provide the automatic control, illustrated in Figs. 3, 6 and 7, toprovide for the possibility of the pilot being injured or otherwiseneglecting to use our device when required. Its operation is as followsIn the normal operation of the aeroplane it is approximately level andtherefore the tank 34 is upright, see Fig. 6. The fluid 37 buoys upfloat 36 and compresses spring 35. Should the machine nose dive, backslip, or side slip the tank will assume the position as shown in Fig. 7.The fluid 37 will assume its new level and the spring will now force theunsupported float member 36 to its new position. The control rod 39 hasone end fastened to the float 36 and the other end fastened to rope 33,thus action of our automatic controller is communicated to the valvestem 22, see Figs. 3, 4 and 5, and causes operation of our safetydevice.

We provide the lever 40 to enable the pilot to lock the automaticcontrol in its inoperative position when required, as in stunt flying,see Fig. 6.

The pilot can cause said gas bag 2 to be deflated by causing pump 14 tooperate and exhaust the gas from the upper portion of the valve chest 8and discharge it into the lower portion of said valve chest 8, andtherefore into the containers 4 and 5 by Way of the ipe lines 6 and 7.

aving described our safety device we claim as new 1. In a safety devicefor flying machines, a gas bag, a supply of gas and means to connect thesaid gas bag with the said supply of gas automatically, when the flyingmachine departs from its normal flying position.

2. In a safety device for flying machines a gas bag, a supply of gas andautomatic means to connect said gas bag with said supply of gas, saidautomatic means including a tank, a float, a spring, and a quantity offluid.

3. A safety device for flying machines including a parachute, means tocause said parachute to assume its operative position and automaticcontrol of said means, said automatic control including a spring pressedfloat and a quantity of fluid.

4. In a safety device for flying machines a gas bag with an attachedparachute, gas containers, a valve connecting the said gas containersand the said gas bag,-automatic control for said valve when the flyingmachine departs from its normal flying position and means whereby theoperator can control said valve.

5. In a safety device for flying machines, a gas bag, gas containers,automatic means to cause inflation of the said gas bag when theflyingmachine departs from its normal flyoperating.

ing position and means whereby the operator-can restrain said automaticmeans from 6. A safety device for flying machines comprismg 1ncomb1nat1on a gas a g, a parachute, gas containers, a base andcoversplV- otally fastened to said base and forming with the gas containersand the said base a container for the said gas bag and its adjuncts. a

7. A safety device for flying machines comprising the followinginstrumentalities:A gas bag, a parachute, gas containers, a base withcovers attached thereto, a

toggle mechanism in said base operating saidcovers, a valve, and meanswhereby said valve and-said covers can be opened simultaneously.

8. In a safety device for flying machines, a gas' bag,a parachute, gascontainers, covers, a valve chest having small holes theree machlnedeparts from its normal flying and covers arranged so'that the coverscan be closed and with the said containers and base, contain the saidgas bag and its adjuncts. v

10. In a safety device for flying machines a gasbag, a supply of gas,means whereby the said gas bag can be connected to the said 7 supply ofgas automatically when the flying O- sition and a pump for deflating thesai gas bag and returning the gas to said supply thereof.

11. A safety device for flying machines including a parachute, meanswhereby the parachute can be caused to assume its operative position,automatic controlfor said means, said automatic control lIlCllldlIlg afloat and a quantity of .fluid nd" means whereby theoperator canrestrain the said automatic control from operating.

12. A safety device for flying machines inbe inflated, automatic controlof said means,

"said automatic control including a float and a uantity of fluid, andmeans to cause defla= tion of the said gas ba i v T R BIN PEARL.

J OSEPII SUSSNA.

cluding a gas bag, a parachute attached 'thereto,rneans whereby the saidgas bag can

